Education: 1989: Laurea in Chimica e Tecnologia Farmaceutiche (Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology), University of Ferrara. 1991: Laurea in Farmacia (Degree in Pharmacy), University of Ferrara. 1995: PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Ferrara
Professional experience:
1991-1994: PhD student, Medicinal Chemistry, University of Ferrara (Ferrara, Italy)
1996-1998: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Medicinal Chemistry, University of Ferrara (Ferrara, Italy)
1998-2014: Assistant Professor (Ricercatore Universitario) at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara
2014-2018: Associate professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara
2015-2021: Coordinator of the Graduated Course in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology
November 2018-present: Full professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences (DOCPAS), University of Ferrara
November, 2018-2021: Vice Director of the Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences (DOCPAS), University of Ferrara
February, 2019-2021: Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Prevention
2022-present: Member of the board of directors of the University of Ferrara.
Since 1991 R. Guerrini published about 336 original papers (number of citations about 12000, H number 54) focused on the structure-activity relationship study of bioactive peptides, in particular in the field of opioids, nociceptin/orphanin FQ, urotensin II and neuropeptide S. Several of these papers, particularly in the field of nociceptin/orphanin FQ, have been highly quoted placing them in the top 1% within their field: according to essential science indicators this demonstrated that the work summarized in those papers was highly influential and made a significant impact among scientist working in the field. R. Guerrini is also co-author of several international patents on novel ligands for GPCR and novel therapeutic indications for such ligands. Many original molecules generated in the Guerrini laboratories are widely used as standard GPCR ligands.
Research funds:
1997: Prin 24 months, Sintesi di peptidi bioattivi e di loro analoghi strutturali (PI R. Tomatis).
1999: Prin (9905091432_001), 24 months, pharmacology of the N/OFQ – NOP receptor system (PI prof. D. Regoli)
2001: FIRB (RBAU01CCSE_001), novel ligands for the NOP receptor (PI prof. D Regoli)
2002: Prin (2002058325_001), 24 months, pharmacology of the N/OFQ – NOP receptor system (PI prof. D. Regoli).
2003: NIH grant (RO1HL71212), 60 months, pharmacology and cardiovascular effects of N/OFQ, (PI D Kapusta, New Orleans, US).
2004: Prin (2004055475_001), 24 months, pharmacology of the N/OFQ – NOP receptor system, (PI D. Regoli).
2006: Prin 24 months, The Nociceptin/OFQ-NOP receptor: basic and clinical studies, (PI D.Regoli). During the last period of the prin 2006 project R. Guerrini acted as National Coordinator.
2006: Firb IT/USA 36 months, Nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor ligands in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, (PI of the Italian RU R. Guerrini)
2009: Fundation Compagnia di San Paolo 36 months, Neurobiology and pharmacology of the neuropeptide S / NPSR receptor system (PI L. Raiteri).
2011: AIRC grant 36 months, Targeting ovarian cancer drug resistence, (PI M.P. Costi).
2011: Firb (RBFR109SBM_001), 36 months, studies on mixed NOP/MOP agonists, (PI C. Trapella)
2011-2022:University of Ferrara research grant (FAR), Design, synthesis and biological characterization of peptides and pseudopeptides (PI R. Guerrini).
2015: University of Ferrara research grant (PRIA), Chemical Library of UniFe (CheLiFe) generation, management and high throughput screening for the discovery of lead compounds for biomedical applications (PI R. Guerrini).
2016: Prin 36 months, NOP receptor biased agonists as innovative drugs (PI of the med. Chem. RU , R. Guerrini).
2016: In the frame of the project “ONCOPENTA” financed by Regione Emilia Romagna, R. Guerrini was granted with a 3-years PhD project titled “Sviluppo di chelanti per Zirconio-89 applicabili nella teranostica oncologica”
Technology transfer: In December 2002 together with pharmacology colleagues R. Guerrini submitted a project to the Spinner organization (FSE funds) for the feasibility study of an academic spinoff. This project has been funded and in June 2003 the University of Ferrara spinoff company UFPeptides s.r.l. was constituted. UFPeptides provides products and services to pharma companies. UFPeptides activities are focused to the identification and development of molecules interacting with G-protein coupled receptors; these proteins regulate several important biological functions and are implicated in a large variety of human diseases. UFPeptides collaborated with pharma companies for the development of research projects, performed a proprietary research project partially funded by a PRRIITT grant (FSE funds, 2006-07, project title “identificazione e caratterizzazione di nuovi farmaci ad azione antidepressiva e analgesica” total cost of the project euro 247.500; PI R. Guerrini), and made an agreement with two companies for the preclinical development of the agonopin (NOP agonists for urinary incontinence) project (2006). For this project an exclusive option license agreement has been signed by UFPeptides and Recordati in 2009 and a license agreement in 2011. The Fase I study of the agonopin project has been successfully concluded and Fase II study has been started in the end of 2017 and concluded in 2019.
Professional experience:
1991-1994: PhD student, Medicinal Chemistry, University of Ferrara (Ferrara, Italy)
1996-1998: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Medicinal Chemistry, University of Ferrara (Ferrara, Italy)
1998-2014: Assistant Professor (Ricercatore Universitario) at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara
2014-2018: Associate professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara
2015-2021: Coordinator of the Graduated Course in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology
November 2018-present: Full professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences (DOCPAS), University of Ferrara
November, 2018-2021: Vice Director of the Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences (DOCPAS), University of Ferrara
February, 2019-2021: Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Prevention
2022-present: Member of the board of directors of the University of Ferrara.
Since 1991 R. Guerrini published about 336 original papers (number of citations about 12000, H number 54) focused on the structure-activity relationship study of bioactive peptides, in particular in the field of opioids, nociceptin/orphanin FQ, urotensin II and neuropeptide S. Several of these papers, particularly in the field of nociceptin/orphanin FQ, have been highly quoted placing them in the top 1% within their field: according to essential science indicators this demonstrated that the work summarized in those papers was highly influential and made a significant impact among scientist working in the field. R. Guerrini is also co-author of several international patents on novel ligands for GPCR and novel therapeutic indications for such ligands. Many original molecules generated in the Guerrini laboratories are widely used as standard GPCR ligands.
Research funds:
1997: Prin 24 months, Sintesi di peptidi bioattivi e di loro analoghi strutturali (PI R. Tomatis).
1999: Prin (9905091432_001), 24 months, pharmacology of the N/OFQ – NOP receptor system (PI prof. D. Regoli)
2001: FIRB (RBAU01CCSE_001), novel ligands for the NOP receptor (PI prof. D Regoli)
2002: Prin (2002058325_001), 24 months, pharmacology of the N/OFQ – NOP receptor system (PI prof. D. Regoli).
2003: NIH grant (RO1HL71212), 60 months, pharmacology and cardiovascular effects of N/OFQ, (PI D Kapusta, New Orleans, US).
2004: Prin (2004055475_001), 24 months, pharmacology of the N/OFQ – NOP receptor system, (PI D. Regoli).
2006: Prin 24 months, The Nociceptin/OFQ-NOP receptor: basic and clinical studies, (PI D.Regoli). During the last period of the prin 2006 project R. Guerrini acted as National Coordinator.
2006: Firb IT/USA 36 months, Nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor ligands in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, (PI of the Italian RU R. Guerrini)
2009: Fundation Compagnia di San Paolo 36 months, Neurobiology and pharmacology of the neuropeptide S / NPSR receptor system (PI L. Raiteri).
2011: AIRC grant 36 months, Targeting ovarian cancer drug resistence, (PI M.P. Costi).
2011: Firb (RBFR109SBM_001), 36 months, studies on mixed NOP/MOP agonists, (PI C. Trapella)
2011-2022:University of Ferrara research grant (FAR), Design, synthesis and biological characterization of peptides and pseudopeptides (PI R. Guerrini).
2015: University of Ferrara research grant (PRIA), Chemical Library of UniFe (CheLiFe) generation, management and high throughput screening for the discovery of lead compounds for biomedical applications (PI R. Guerrini).
2016: Prin 36 months, NOP receptor biased agonists as innovative drugs (PI of the med. Chem. RU , R. Guerrini).
2016: In the frame of the project “ONCOPENTA” financed by Regione Emilia Romagna, R. Guerrini was granted with a 3-years PhD project titled “Sviluppo di chelanti per Zirconio-89 applicabili nella teranostica oncologica”
Technology transfer: In December 2002 together with pharmacology colleagues R. Guerrini submitted a project to the Spinner organization (FSE funds) for the feasibility study of an academic spinoff. This project has been funded and in June 2003 the University of Ferrara spinoff company UFPeptides s.r.l. was constituted. UFPeptides provides products and services to pharma companies. UFPeptides activities are focused to the identification and development of molecules interacting with G-protein coupled receptors; these proteins regulate several important biological functions and are implicated in a large variety of human diseases. UFPeptides collaborated with pharma companies for the development of research projects, performed a proprietary research project partially funded by a PRRIITT grant (FSE funds, 2006-07, project title “identificazione e caratterizzazione di nuovi farmaci ad azione antidepressiva e analgesica” total cost of the project euro 247.500; PI R. Guerrini), and made an agreement with two companies for the preclinical development of the agonopin (NOP agonists for urinary incontinence) project (2006). For this project an exclusive option license agreement has been signed by UFPeptides and Recordati in 2009 and a license agreement in 2011. The Fase I study of the agonopin project has been successfully concluded and Fase II study has been started in the end of 2017 and concluded in 2019.
